UPSC Cut Off for Prelims, Mains, and Final
Anuj Jindal / 14 min read / Last Updated: August 19, 2026
Topics Covered: UPSC Cut Off 2025 Release, UPSC Previous Cutoff 2024, 2023, 2022, & 2021, Previous Year Cutoff Comparision, Difference between Clearing Cut-Off vs Getting IAS
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE) to recruit candidates for prestigious services such as IAS, IPS, IFS, and other central government posts.
Every year, lakhs of aspirants appear for the examination, making it one of the most competitive exams in the country.
The UPSC cutoff is the minimum score required to qualify for the next stage of the selection process or secure final selection. The UPSC releases separate cut-offs for the Prelims, Mains, and Final Merit List after the completion of the examination cycle.
Knowing the UPSC cutoff helps aspirants understand the level of competition, determine realistic performance aims, and plan their preparation more effectively.
It also allows candidates to evaluate their performance and identify areas for improvement.
This page covers the UPSC cutoff for Prelims, Mains, and Final Selection, along with previous years’ cutoffs and other important details.
Table of Content – UPSC Cutoff for
Prelims, Mains, and Final
1. UPSC Cutoff 2025
1.1 Tie-Breaking Rule
1.2 Prelims Cutoff 2025
1.3 Mains Cutoff 2025
1.4 Final Cutoff 2025
1.5 Previous Year Cutoff
1.5.1 Cut Off 2024
1.5.2 Cut Off 2023
1.5.3 Cut Off 2022
1.5.4 Cut Off 2021
1.6 Clearing Cutoff vs Getting IAS: Difference
1.7 Previous Year Cutoff Comparison
1.7.1 Prelims Cutoff Comparison
1.7.2 Mains Cutoff Comparison
1.7.3 Final Cutoff Comparison
What are the UPSC Cutoff 2025?
Latest update: The UPSC cutoff 2025 for Prelims, Mains, and final merit has been released on its official website on 10th March 2026.
- Cutoff release: The UPSC cutoff is declared at the end of the examination cycle, i.e., after the declaration of the final result.
- Cutoff Calculation: The cutoff marks for UPSC CSE are taken as the marks secured by the last candidate selected for that round.
- Prelims cut-off:
- Now, when it comes to determining the Prelims cutoff, the UPSC has its unique way to calculate it. Only the marks of GS Paper 1 of the prelims are considered when determining the prelims cutoff.
- The marks that you secure in Paper 2 will not be considered when counting your merit ranking, as GS Paper 2 (CSAT) is qualifying in nature, and you need to score at least 33% to qualify for the mains round.
- Mains cut-off: Candidates are required to score a minimum of 10% marks in all of the 7 papers in Mains.
- Final cut-off (Merit): The final cutoff is made by combining Mains marks and the Personality Test marks.
Tie-Breaking Rule of UPSC
Since the UPSC releases only the final merit list and cutoffs, many aspirants are unaware of how ranks are decided when two candidates secure the same marks.
To ensure fairness in such situations, UPSC follows a set of tie-breaking rules.
- Case 1: If two candidates secure the same aggregate marks in the Civil Services Examination, the candidate with higher marks in the compulsory papers and the Personality Test (Interview) combined, is selected.
- Case 2: If the marks in the compulsory papers and Interview are also the same, the candidate who is older in age is given preference and will be placed higher in the merit list.
- Case 3: If the candidates have the same aggregate marks, the same marks in compulsory papers and Interview, and are also of the same age, the candidate with higher marks in the compulsory papers is awarded the higher rank.
Before discussing the cutoffs, you can also check the list of important books for UPSC 2027 that will help you in acing the examination.
Now let us go through the cutoff marks of the various UPSC rounds of the last 5 years:
UPSC Prelims Cutoffs 2025
In the table below, you can check the details about UPSC Prelims cutoff 2025 I have provided:
| Examination | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwBD-1 | PwBD-2 | PwBD-3 | PwBD-5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prelim 2025 | 92.66 | 89.34 | 92.00 | 84.00 | 82.66 | 76.66 | 54.66 | 40.66 | 40.66 |
UPSC Mains Cutoffs 2025
To get an overview of the UPSC Mains cutoff 2025, you can the refer to the table below:
| Examination | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwBD-1 | PwBD-2 | PwBD-3 | PwBD-5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mains 2025 | 739 | 706 | 717 | 700 | 694 | 703 | 708 | 536 | 451 |
UPSC Final Cutoffs 2025
For detailed preview of the UPSC Final cutoff 2025, you go through the table to check the information given on the same.
| Examination | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwBD-1 | PwBD-2 | PwBD-3 | PwBD-5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final 2025 | 963 | 926 | 931 | 905 | 902 | 917 | 944 | 804 | 631 |
What are the UPSC CES Previous Year Cutoffs?
In the sections below, I have shared with you the UPSC CSE cutoffs for 2024, 2023, 2022, & 2021. Going through previous years will give you an idea about the marks you’d need to secure in the upcoming exam to clear it.
UPSC Prelims Cutoffs 2024
| Category | UPSC Prelims Cut offs (out of 200) |
|---|---|
| General | 87.98 |
| EWS | 85.92 |
| OBC | 87.28 |
| SC | 79.03 |
| ST | 74.23 |
| PwBD-1 | 69.42 |
| PwBD-2 | 65.30 |
| PwBD-3 | 40.56 |
| PwBD-5 | 40.56 |
UPSC Mains Cut Offs 2024
| Category | UPSC Mains Cut offs (out of 1750) |
|---|---|
| General | 729 |
| EWS | 696 |
| OBC | 702 |
| SC | 685 |
| ST | 684 |
| PwBD-1 | 663 |
| PwBD-2 | 696 |
| PwBD-3 | 307 |
| PwBD-5 | 361 |
UPSC Final Cut Offs 2024
| Category | UPSC Final Cut offs (out of 2025) |
|---|---|
| General | 947 |
| EWS | 917 |
| OBC | 910 |
| SC | 880 |
| ST | 884 |
| PwBD-1 | 876 |
| PwBD-2 | 913 |
| PwBD-3 | 701 |
| PwBD-5 | 461 |
UPSC Prelims Cut Offs 2023
| Category | UPSC Prelims Cut offs (out of 200) |
|---|---|
| General | 75.41 |
| EWS | 68.02 |
| OBC | 74.75 |
| SC | 59.25 |
| ST | 47.82 |
| PwBD-1 | 40.40 |
| PwBD-2 | 47.13 |
| PwBD-3 | 40.40 |
| PwBD-5 | 33.68 |
UPSC Mains Cut Offs 2023
| Category | UPSC Mains Cut offs (out of 1750) |
|---|---|
| General | 741 |
| EWS | 706 |
| OBC | 712 |
| SC | 694 |
| ST | 692 |
| PwBD-1 | 673 |
| PwBD-2 | 718 |
| PwBD-3 | 396 |
| PwBD-5 | 445 |
UPSC Final Cut Offs 2023
| Category | UPSC Final Cut offs (out of 2025) |
|---|---|
| General | 953 |
| EWS | 923 |
| OBC | 919 |
| SC | 890 |
| ST | 891 |
| PwBD-1 | 894 |
| PwBD-2 | 930 |
| PwBD-3 | 756 |
| PwBD-4 | 589 |
UPSC Prelims Cut Offs 2022
| Category | UPSC Prelims Cut offs (out of 200) |
|---|---|
| General | 88.22 |
| EWS | 82.83 |
| OBC | 87.54 |
| SC | 74.08 |
| ST | 69.35 |
| PwBD-1 | 49.84 |
| PwBD-2 | 58.59 |
| PwBD-3 | 40.40 |
| PwBD-5 | 41.76 |
UPSC Mains Cut Offs 2022
| Category | UPSC Mains Cut offs (out of 1750) |
|---|---|
| General | 748 |
| EWS | 715 |
| OBC | 714 |
| SC | 699 |
| ST | 706 |
| PwBD-1 | 677 |
| PwBD-2 | 706 |
| PwBD-3 | 351 |
| PwBD-5 | 419 |
UPSC Final Cut Offs 2022
| Category | UPSC Final Cut offs (out of 2025) |
|---|---|
| General | 960 |
| EWS | 926 |
| OBC | 923 |
| SC | 893 |
| ST | 900 |
| PwBD-1 | 879 |
| PwBD-2 | 913 |
| PwBD-3 | 632 |
| PwBD-4 | 590 |
UPSC Prelims Cut Offs 2021
| Category | UPSC Prelims Cut offs (out of 200) |
|---|---|
| General | 87.54 |
| EWS | 80.14 |
| OBC | 84.85 |
| SC | 75.41 |
| ST | 70.71 |
| PwBD-1 | 68.02 |
| PwBD-2 | 67.33 |
| PwBD-3 | 43.09 |
| PwBD-4 | 45.80 |
UPSC Mains Cut Offs 2021
| Category | UPSC Mains Cut offs (out of 1750) |
|---|---|
| General | 745 |
| EWS | 713 |
| OBC | 707 |
| SC | 700 |
| ST | 700 |
| PwBD-1 | 668 |
| PwBD-2 | 712 |
| PwBD-3 | 388 |
| PwBD-4 | 560 |
UPSC Final Cut Offs 2021
| Category | UPSC Final Cut offs (out of 2025) |
|---|---|
| General | 953 |
| EWS | 916 |
| OBC | 910 |
| SC | 886 |
| ST | 883 |
| PwBD-1 | 892 |
| PwBD-2 | 932 |
| PwBD-3 | 689 |
| PwBD-4 | 701 |
Clearing the Cut-Off vs Getting IAS: What’s the Difference?
I notice how the UPSC announces the cut-offs only after the final result. If this raises any doubt in your mind, then let me tell you why the UPSC does that.
Why does UPSC announce the cutoffs at the end of the exam cycle?
If an aspirant knew the cutoffs before appearing in the exam, then he would prepare only to clear the cut-offs.
And UPSC does not aim to recruit aspirants who only achieve the cut-offs; it wants to choose an aspirant who is actually prepared with the knowledge to hold an administrative position.
Let’s see how preparing just to clear the cut-offs is not the right approach with an example of an aspirant who had a similar experience.
Background: The Aspirant’s Journey Begins
An aspirant who once had a dream of being an IAS planned to attempt the UPSC CSE examination.
He studied books, searched the internet, and sat with mock tests for hours, but he then learned about the cut-offs.
After that, his absolute dedication and consistency disappear because he now knows that he could clear the examination if he just achieved the cutoffs.
The Final Result: Clearing the UPSC Examination
He did not prepare as much as he used to do in the beginning, but he ensured enough preparations to achieve the cut-offs.
And luckily, he eventually cleared the prelims, qualified for mains, and even made it to the final merit list.
Note – Before the Personality Test, candidates submit a preference list of services.
The Difference Between Rank and Selection
Usually within 1 to 3 months after the final result, the service allocation list is released.
He waited for the service list to be released, and later, after a few months, he saw that he was selected as an Assistant Commissioner, not IAS, because his rank was not even top 500.
And then he realized and noticed the difference between clearing the examination and holding a top-tier rank such as IAS, IFS, and IPS.
Why Clearing the Cut-Off Is Not Enough
The cutoff only helps you clear the examination, but it does not guarantee the service you dream of.
Aspirants who prepare only for the cut-offs may clear the exam, but aspirants who prepare for the highest score are the ones who secure the top ranks and get services like IAS, IFS, and IPS.
That is why your goal should never be the cut-off. Your goal should be to maximize your score.
That being said, I wish you good luck!
UPSC Previous Cutoff Comparison
The UPSC CSE cut-off changes every year due to factors such as the number of vacancies, difficulty level of the exam, and overall performance of candidates. Therefore, it is important to analyze the previous years’ cut-offs before starting your preparation.
Analyzing the cut-offs helps you understand the competition, estimate the score required to clear each stage, and set a realistic target for yourself.
Below, I have provided the UPSC CSE cut-offs for the past few years for Prelims, Mains, and the Final stage in tabular format for you to understand in a clear way.
Prelims Previous Year Cutoff Comparison
Check the table below for a detailed cut off comparison of the UPCS CSE Prelims in previous years.
| Examination Year | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwBD-1 | PwBD-2 | PwBD-3 | PwBD-5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92.66 | 89.34 | 92.00 | 84.00 | 82.66 | 76.66 | 54.66 | 40.66 | 40.66 |
| 2024 | 87.98 | 85.92 | 87.28 | 79.03 | 74.23 | 69.42 | 65.30 | 40.56 | 40.56 |
| 2023 | 75.41 | 68.02 | 74.75 | 59.25 | 47.82 | 40.40 | 47.13 | 40.40 | 33.68 |
| 2022 | 88.22 | 82.83 | 87.54 | 74.08 | 69.35 | 49.84 | 58.59 | 40.40 | 41.76 |
| 2021 | 87.54 | 80.14 | 84.85 | 75.41 | 70.71 | 68.02 | 67.33 | 43.09 | 45.80 |
Mains Previous Year Cutoff Comparison
This section contains another table consisting of the UPSC CSE Mains cutoff comparison in depth.
| Examination | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwBD-1 | PwBD-2 | PwBD-3 | PwBD-5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 739 | 706 | 717 | 700 | 694 | 703 | 708 | 536 | 451 |
| 2024 | 729 | 696 | 702 | 685 | 684 | 663 | 696 | 307 | 361 |
| 2023 | 741 | 706 | 712 | 694 | 692 | 673 | 718 | 396 | 445 |
| 2022 | 748 | 715 | 714 | 699 | 706 | 677 | 706 | 351 | 419 |
| 2021 | 745 | 713 | 707 | 700 | 700 | 668 | 712 | 388 | 560 |
Final Previous Year Cutoff Comparison
Check the table below for a detailed cutoff comparison of the UPCS CSE Final in previous years.
| Examination | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST | PwBD-1 | PwBD-2 | PwBD-3 | PwBD-4 | PwBD-5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 963 | 926 | 931 | 905 | 902 | 917 | 944 | 804 | - | 631 |
| 2024 | 947 | 917 | 910 | 880 | 884 | 876 | 913 | 701 | - | 461 |
| 2023 | 953 | 923 | 919 | 890 | 891 | 894 | 930 | 756 | 589 | - |
| 2022 | 960 | 926 | 923 | 893 | 900 | 879 | 913 | 632 | 590 | - |
| 2021 | 953 | 916 | 910 | 886 | 883 | 892 | 932 | 689 | 701 | - |
Going through the various tables above you can get a pretty vivid idea about the marks you’d need to score if you want to make it in the UPSC Civil services exams.
In case you want to access the previous year papers, then click on the link to explore UPSC CSE Previous Year Papers.
UPSC Results of Previous Years
I have already provided the PDF of the UPSC Prelims, Mains and Final Results from 2020 to 2024. However, at times it is important to look at the past years’ results as well.
Therefore, in this section, we’ll go over the UPSC (IAS) results of the previous years. So, without further ado:
Go through the Commerce & Management Exam Analysis of the 2017-2023 UPSC Exams.
Therefore, having a proper understanding of all IAS-related topics is a must, and for that, you’d need to read from the best IAS books in the market. To know more about the best UPSC preparation books, you can go through the link provided.
Alongside downloading your admit card you can also go through the UPSC previous year papers to assess the difficulty level and nature of questions asked in the exam.
Conclusion
We have finally arrived at the end of the section. Till now we have discussed in detail everything related to UPSC Results, which includes UPSC result dates 2026, steps to download the result, UPSC Previous Year results.
I hope you find the comprehensive information helpful in your understanding of the exam. It’s time for me to bid you farewell and wish you all the best for future endeavours.
Keep Learning!!
Stay Motivated!!
About Anuj Jindal
━━━━━
Anuj Jindal, the founder, is an ex-manager from SBI, with an M.Com from Delhi School of Economics. He also has a JRF in Commerce & Management and NET in HRM, along with more than 5 years of experience in the field of Education.
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FAQs: UPSC CSE Cut Off
- How many students are selected for the IAS interview?
I get asked this question a lot, and the answer is that around 2 to 2.5 the number of vacancies announced for the particular year’s IAS exam are selected for the IAS interviews.
Apart from that, you should know that only the people who are able to clear the UPSC cut offs for the Mains papers of the IAS exams are called to appear for the interview round.
- How many marks are required to qualify the IAS exam?
In short, you need to clear the overall UPSC cut offs to qualify/clear the UPSC IAS exam.
The overall cut offs are decided by taking into account the scores of the Mains exams and the Interview round.
If you want a detailed answer to this question, you should read the UPSC cut offs section on the blog given above.
- What is the procedure to prepare the IAS prelims cut off?
The IAS prelims cut off is prepared by taking into account the General Studies Paper 1 only.
As far as Paper 2 or CSAT goes, the CSAT is only a qualifying paper where candidates just need to score above 33% of the total marks. This means that the marks secured by candidates in the CSAT paper are not considered while preparing the Prelims cut off.
- What rank is required to get into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS)?
So, the answer differs according to the various reservation categories and it also changes depending on the year of the exam. So, what I am writing here is merely a general estimate.
For the general category, you’d need to have an All-India Rank (AIR) that does not go beyond the range of 75-95 if you want to be an IAS officer. For OBC, the rank cannot be greater than the range of 460-470, For SC, 840-650, and for STs, 765-775.
- What is the procedure to calculate UPSC cutoff?
UPSC reveals the cutoff after the declaration of final result. There is no simple answer to the question of how a figure is reached. However, what’s know is the factors that derive the UPSC Cutoff. Components like, number of candidates who have appeared, the number of vacancies, etc., hold the decisive stature towards calculating the Cutoff.